Pensacola News Journal reports multiple capsizes at Alter Cup. This appeared in the sports section today. Their website is
www.pensacolanewsjournal.com. There may be more coverage tomorrow and later in the week.
Winds put sailors in drink
Capsizes mark Day 2 of Multihull Championships
Julie B. Connerley
News Journal correspondent
If Monday's weather was any indicator, competitors in the 20th anniversary of U.S. Sailing's Multihull Championship for the Hobie Alter Cup proved they had earned the right to be called the nation's top 20 teams.
During Race 3, five of the 10 Nacra 20s -- considered the fastest catamarans on the market -- capsized into the waters of Santa Rosa Sound.
Later, in Race 4, four boats capsized.
"Sunday's races held steady with 14 to 16 knots of wind," said race committee volunteer Dave Mimlitch, of Dallas, whose job was to check and record wind readings from the race committee boat every five minutes all day long.
"Monday began the same, but the winds built to 20 knots, then backed down to around 16 and later climbed again to 20 knots," he said. "We actually had some gusts to 24, but these boats are designed to handle those types of conditions."
For the more seasoned teams, the conditions were manageable.
The 2005 Nacra 20 national champions, John Casey and Kenny Pierce, held onto first place with seven points after Monday's four races staged out of the Pensacola Beach Yacht Club. Robbie Daniel and Hunter Stunzi held their second-place standing with nine points. Stunzi is U.S. Sailing's first Youth Multihull Champion, having won the event in 2001.
"The competition is very tight for the top three places," said John Williams, national chair for the event. "Nigel Pitt and Alex Shafer had a rough first day and finished mid-fleet. But they collected themselves and made an excellent recovery."
Pitt is a former Nacra 20 champion. He didn't go into the water Monday, but his hat did, just before a race start. He recovered it, and the team went on to win both its races and move into third place with 11 points.
For some teams, higher winds combined with boats never previously sailed tested the upper limit of their capabilities and explained the many capsizes. One team chose not to race; another chose not to fly the spinnaker during its assigned race.
Kurt Korte, 41, or Roscoe, Ill., and Brad Winquist, 42 of Pewaukee, Wis., capsized in their first race while leading the pack. They righted themselves and managed to finish fifth. In their second round, they took first. Their total points earned them a place in the "A" heat with the leaders.
"And we plan to stay there," Korte said.
Tom Turlington
NACRA F17 #12
